East Oakland Youth Development Center

History

EOYDC was founded in 1973 and opened its doors in 1978 by Robert B. Shetterly, then-CEO of Clorox. Shetterly served as CEO during Clorox’s transition in 1969 from a subsidiary of the Procter & Gamble Co. to an independent company and set the stage for Clorox to become one of America’s leading manufacturers and marketers of consumer household products.

Although Shetterly was a prominent businessman and a long-time resident of Orinda, he had a great vision and passion for Oakland. He was aware of, and strongly opposed to, the plight and social inequalities of ethnic minorities in the city and believed that access to education and opportunity should not be based on skin color. Shetterly convinced many businesses to settle in downtown Oakland as opposed to other local cities. He knew that without the investment of businesses, there would be a future of instability and poverty in Oakland.

As an activist, Shetterly became involved with various organizations with significant causes including the Black Panthers, providing financial support to help run their Free Breakfast Program, and used his influence and wealth to give back to the community. During the early 70’s he began to promote his vision of a community-based program that helps underprivileged youth; this vision became the East Oakland Youth Development Center. Since 1994, EOYDC has been under the leadership of Regina Jackson.

Mission

The mission of EOYDC is to develop the social and leadership capacities of youth so that they achieve excellence in education, career, and service to their communities. The mission is based on solid research, which demonstrates that interventions that foster relationships with caring adults and mastery of technical and social skills, can lead to increased well-being and civic engagement among youth from high-risk environments.

EOYDC strives to incorporate the supports and opportunities of relationship building, youth and community involvement, and skill building. It also aims to lessen the risk factors faced by youth and enhance the protective factors. EOYDC fulfills this mission by offering educational, cultural, artistic expression and recreation programs that meet the holistic needs of the individual.

Programs

The four core programs that characterize the EOYDC’s purpose are: art, education, jobs, and wellness. These departments are structured in such a way that encourages youth to become self-sufficient and responsible members of their community. Of primary concern at the EOYDC is teaching youth to embrace their unique cultures and to live and work responsibly and cooperatively with other communities. EOYDC offers three education programs: After School Leadership Academy, Pathway to College and Career, and Education Empowerment.

The After School Leadership Academy is an after school program for students in kindergarten to 8th grade. The program provides homework help, tutoring, and enrichment activities.

Pathway to College and Career is a readiness program that prepares students in 9th to 12th grade for post-secondary life, with an emphasis on college persistence and completion. The program offers activities such as workshops, SAT prep, and discussion forums. From 2010 to 2016, the program boasted a 96% college graduation rate among alumni.

Education Empowerment is for students ages 17.5 and up who have not completed high school. The program prepares students to take the High School Equivalency Test (HSET, previously known as the GED).

Funding and Sponsors

EOYDC receives minimal government funding; the majority of its funding comes from private grants and donations with a small percentage of the budget coming from corporate grants and individual giving. The largest donors include: U.S. Bank, Clorox Company Foundation, Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation, SD Bechtel Jr. Foundation, and Northern California Community Loan Fund.

Notable Alumni

Jabari Brown, former NBA player

Keyshia Cole, singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality

Mark Curry, actor and comedian

Antonio Davis, former NBA player

Keyondrei “Kiwi” Gardner, Saudi Premier League basketball player

Drew Gooden, NBA player

Aaron Goodwin, sports agent

Greg Foster, former NBA player, NBA assistant coach

Damian Lillard, NBA player

Jason Kidd, former NBA player, NBA head coach

Paul Marigney, International Basketball player

Kirk Morrison, former NFL player

Gary Payton, former NBA player

Leon Powe, former NBA player

Brian Shaw, former NBA player, former NBA head coach

Marcus Thompson II, journalist and sports columnist

D'Wayne Wiggins, musician, producer, and composer

Trinity Wilson, track and field athlete